Draft and buffing mechanism



D. C. DAVIS. DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLEDAueAs. 1919.

Patented Feb. 22,1921.

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D. c. DAVIS. ADRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISIII.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3, I9I`9.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E :UIMM www f l Y L/ l/7@ W 2 if 3 w UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vDONALD C. DAVIS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULI) COUPLER COMPANY,

i OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921..

Application filed August 13, 1919. Serial No. 317,279.

nisms, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to improvements in draft and buing devices for railroad rolling stock, and more particularly to draftland bufiing devices which are used on the light cars of narrow gage railroads, such as employed in logging and mining camps, in the construction'work, and for other similar purposes. In railroads of this sort the tracks are frequently very uneven and cause the various cars of a train to sway and move great deal relatively to eachother, both laterally and vertically, and as a consequence the cars often become uncoupled, or the couplers become broken for the reason that the draft and bufiing devices as ordinarily constructed and connected to the couplers do not make adequate provision for vertical and lateral movements of the couplers relative to the connected draft gears.

The object of this invention is to improve draft and bulfng devices by providing means of novel, simple and practical construction for obviating the objections mentioned and permitting the coupler to swing both laterally and vertically in respect to the draft device to which it is connected.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the .device that the coupler will be normally retained yieldingly in a central horizontal position and quickly righted or returned to'such position after it has been moved out of the same, either laterally or vertically.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, showing a draft and buffing device embodying the invention. Q

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional elevation thereof on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in transverse section, on line 3-3, Fig. 1, thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, A isa coupler having the usual head a and knuckle a pivoted to swing laterally on a knuckle or pivot pin a2. The coupler is provided with a short rearwardly extending shank which is connected to the draft and buing gear B. C represents the coupler shank which is preferably bifurcated or formed of two rearwardly extending, spaced, vertical webs o1' plates c between which arectangular block D is pivoted to swing vertically, as by a horizontal pin or rivet d passing through the block and the webs c, The vertical rear face of the block D and the rear vertical edges d of the webs c are adapted to bear against the bu'fling ele-i ment of the draft and buiing gear B to coperate therewith for centering the coupler. This draft and bufling gear B is retained in a housing or casing E, preferably having a front wall e. provided with an opening through which thev coupler shank C extends, a rear wall e', and top and bottom walls e2 e3 respectively, and it is open at its opposite ends for the insertion or` removal of the contained parts of the draft and buling mechanism. The housing is adapted to be secured to the end sill or other suitable part of a car by bolts e* e5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or by other suitable securing means.

The draft and bufiing gear B is preferably constructed as follows:

Front and reary transverse followers or plates F F are arranged on edge and normally in contact with the front and rear walls e e respectively of the housing E. These followers F F are formed with central offset portions yf which project inwardly or toward each other, and resilient or cushioning members G, preferably formed of inner and outer coil springs, are arranged between the opposite ends of said followers, preferably around sleeves f/ surrounding the bolts e5. l springs and are adapted to engage the'followers to limit the movement of the followers toward each other. The rear follower F' constitutesthe draft element of the gear.

The draft strains are transmitted from the coupler A to the draft follower F', preferably by a U-shapedyoke or strap H which passes around thev followers F F and has its ends pivotally connected to the block D, as by a vertical pivot pin or rivet 71... The bufiing strains are transmitted to the buing follower F by the contact therewith of the rear edges d of the shank C and the block D. The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that a car is being drawn forward along a level and straight section of The sleeves are shorter than the track, then the yoke H will pull evenly on the rear or draft follower F against the resistance of both spring members G. lVhen the coupler is subjected to buffmg stresses the rear ends of the block D and coupler shank will force the front follower F rearwardly against the resistance of the springs G. lf the car meets a curve in the tracks which causes it to swinglaterally with reference to the adjacent car, the coupler can swing on its vertical pivot It to one side or the other and one of the webs c of the shank C will press rearwardly against the front follower F and deflect the follower rearwardly against the action of the springs G, as indicated in Fig. 1. A corresponding lateral movement of the coupler to the opposite side will cause a similar action through the medium of the opposite web c of the coupler shank. Vhen the lateral pressure on the coupler is relieved, the forward-pressure of the follower F against the coupler shank at one side of its vertical pivot It will return the coupler to its central position, in which it will be yieldingly retained by reason of the follower bearing flat against the rear faces of the block D and two webs c of the shank. The lateral movements of Athe coupler are limited by the edges of the opening in the front wall e.

The described construction also permits a `vertical movement of the coupler on the horizontal pivot d when the car approaches a rise or depression in the track. 1f this action occurs in a downward direction (see Fig. 2) the lower corners of the rear edges d of the webs of the shank will press against the front follower F and force it rearwardly against theV resistance of the spring members G. An upward movement of the coupler will cause a similar action through the upper corners of the edges d. In either case, when the upward or downward stress on the coupler is relieved, the forward pressure of the follower F against the shank below or above the horizontal pivot will restore the coupler to and yieldingly retain it in the normal horizontal position. The transverse width of the block D is greater than the transverse width of the yoke H, so that the webs c will readily pass the yoke when the coupler swings in a vertical plane.

A coupler and draft and bufiing device constructed as described. is very desirable and practical for use on railroad rolling stock of the sort mentioned and overcomes in a very efiicient way the usual troubles caused by uncoupling and breakage of couplers. It is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination of a coupler, yielding draft and bufingvmeans therefo-r, and means connecting the coupler and said draft and bufiing means, whereby lateral and vertical swinging movements of said coupler relative to said draft and bufiing means are permitted, said draft and bufhng means and said coupler having parts which act to restore the coupler to normal central position when the coupler has been swung from its normal central positiony and the pressure causing such swinging has been relieved.

2. The combination of a coupler, yielding draft and bufiing means therefor, and means connecting the coupler and said draft and bufiing means, whereby lateral and vertical swinging movements of said coupler from a normal central position and relatively to said draft and buifing means are permitted, said draft and bufiing means and said coupler having parts which coperate and constantly tend to restore said coupler 'to its normal central position.

3. The combination of a coupler and its shank, a pivot block to which said coupler shank is pivoted to swing in one plane, a draft device to which said block is pivoted to swing in a different plane, and a-'fdevice constituting a part of said draft device which yieldingly resists said movements of said shank and block and acts to restore the coupler to a normal central position.

4:. The combination of a coupler having a shank, a bufiing gear including a movable follower, means for holding said shank in operative connection with said follower and permitting vertical and lateral movements of said coupler relative to said follower, said shank having parts against which said follower presses to yieldingly hold said coupler in and return it to a central position.

5. The combination of a coupler having a shank, a draft and buffing gear including oppositely disposed followers, resilient members between said followers for resisting movement thereof, means for pivotally connecting said shank to said draft and bufng gear to vswing vertically and laterally relative to said draft and bufiing gear, said shank having a face which cooperates with one of said followers and said resilient members to yieldingly hold said coupler in its central position'l and to return it to said position.

6. The combination of a coupler having a shank, a draft device to which said shank is pivotally connected to swing laterally and vertically, a spring-pressed buiing element which resists rearward buin movements of said coupler, said buing e ement pressing against the end of said shank at opposite sides of its pivotal connections with the draft device .and acting to resist pivotal movement of said coupler and return it to a central position.

7. The combination of a coupler, a draft device, said coupler having a normal central position relatively to said draft device,

auniversal connection between said coupler and said draft device permitting said .cou.- pler to swing in planes perpendicular to each other and out of said normal central positiom. and a buing device which yield. ingly resists buing movements of said coupler, said buiing device having'a part which engages said coupler and constantly tendsto restore said coupler to normal central position when said coupler s swung.'

8. The combination of a coupler and its shank, a pivot block to which said coupler shank is ivotedto swing in one plane, a draft device to whichsaid block is pivot/ed to swing ina different plane, and a device `constituting a part of ysaid draft device which coperates with a part of said block fand .constantly tends to maintain the cousition when it is swung.k

Witness my hand, this 11th `day-:olf Au-- i gust? 1919.

y DONALD C. DAVIS.

i Witnesses: l v I i ALLEN B. BRIMMER,

GEO. E. HAMMOND. 

